Camelot’ in the curriculum

Friday

Jan 30, 2009 at 2:00 AM

Not too many decades ago there was a place in Massachusetts known to many as Camelot. It was a place where a young man from a well-known family accepted a run for office, and a place where that man, now president, returned time and again to make memories with his children, relaxing on the shoreline or skimming the waters in his boat, the Victura.

Kathleen Szmit

Osterville Elementary students connect with history at JFK Hyannis Museum

Not too many decades ago there was a place in Massachusetts known to many as Camelot. It was a place where a young man from a well-known family accepted a run for office, and a place where that man, now president, returned time and again to make memories with his children, relaxing on the shoreline or skimming the waters in his boat, the Victura. That Massachusetts place was none other than Hyannisport, and the aforementioned man was the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. This week fourth grade students from nearby Osterville Elementary School had the opportunity to visit the JFK Hyannis Museum and discover for themselves the magic of Camelot. It was the first official visit of local schoolchildren to the museum as part of a program conceived by Deb Murphy, a professor at Cape Cod Community College, and members of the JKF Hyannis Museum Foundation. According to Rob Sennott, JFK Hyannis Museum Foundation board president (and Patriot publisher), the mission of the Foundation and its “edu-tours” is to raise awareness of the museum and the rich history of the Kennedy family. “We want to spread the legacy of public service of our neighbor, President Kennedy,” said Sennott. Sennott and Foundation board member Chris Keough explained that Murphy designed a special curriculum for students in fourth grade that begins in the classroom, continues in the museum and concludes again back in the classroom. She is currently at work on a similar curriculum for seventh graders. Sennott noted that the Foundation would like to eventually raise enough funds to expand the program to invite other towns on Cape Cod on the tours. “The National Seashore was a gift to us from President Kennedy,” said Sennott. “Since he was a neighbor not just to Hyannis and Hyannisport, it makes sense to invite all students to the museum.” On Jan. 27, more than 35 OES students arrived, eager to learn about their community’s “favorite son.” The kids were given clipboards with questions to be answered along their tour, which included photographs, timelines, family trees and movies. CJ McCabe, a student in Heather Frazel’s fourth grade class, was impressed by how many people were in the Kennedy family. A family portrait taken near the water especially intrigued him. “Mrs. Frazel, is that Hyannisport?” he asked. “I’ve sailed right past there.” Another of Frazel’s students, Will O’Day, appreciated the repeated images of family. “You get to see his whole family,” he said, “and how happy he was with his family when he was with them.” Many students commented on the museum’s focus on Kennedy as a “regular guy” while keeping in mind his family’s profound history. “It’s kinda cool that you’re here in a town where a lot of history happened,” said student Olivia Pearsall. As students scrambled to answer questions about the importance of the JFK Hyannis Museum and exactly what was happening in a photo of JFK and kids in a golf cart, OES teacher Barbara Dunn marveled at their enthusiasm. “I really just enjoy seeing all of the photos of the Kennedys when they were younger, and seeing the connections made by the students,” she said. “I love seeing the students really make a lot of connections with the Cape. It’s wonderful that the museum is promoting bringing the students in.” “It’s exciting. Very exciting, actually,” said Kehoe. “When I see the enthusiasm of these kids it’s great. This helps to enhance their awareness of perhaps one of our greatest citizens.”

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